High-voltage protection and shielding within downhole tools

ABSTRACT

A downhole tool may include a voltage multiplier within a housing. The voltage multiplier may transform input power to the downhole tool from a first voltage to a second voltage higher than the first. The downhole tool may also include multiple shielding rings surrounding at least the voltage multiplier to reduce electric field stresses within the downhole tool. Additionally, the downhole tool may include an insulator located between the shielding rings and the housing.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods forhigh-voltage power supply and nuclear or photonic radiation generatorelectrical protection and shielding for use in downhole tools.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects ofart that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques,which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed tobe helpful in providing the reader with background information tofacilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statementsare to be read in this light, and not as an admission of any kind.

Producing hydrocarbons from a wellbore drilled into a geologicalformation is a remarkably complex endeavor. In many cases, decisionsinvolved in hydrocarbon exploration and production may be informed bymeasurements from downhole well-logging tools that are conveyed into thewellbore. The tools may be used to infer properties and characteristicsof the geological formation surrounding the wellbore and, thus, makeinformed decisions. Some such tools may include a radiation generator,to irradiate the wellbore with nuclear radiation, and sensors to makeinferences from the wellbore's response to the radiation.

Generally, an electrically operated radiation generator, such as anx-ray generator, a gamma ray generator, or a neutron generator, maygenerate radiation using electrical power to facilitate determiningcharacteristics of the surrounding environment (e.g., the formation).Thus, radiation generators may be used in various contexts, such as adownhole tool or for material analysis. To achieve the high energyradiation, a high-voltage power supply may be implemented. Given thesize limitations on downhole tools, the high-voltage power supply andradiation generator may be packaged in a relatively small housing.However, placing high-voltage components, such as high-voltagemultiplier ladder components in close proximity to each other and/or torelative ground may lead to high electric field stresses and/orelectrical complications. Protecting and shielding against suchelectrical events may increase the effectiveness, reliability, and/orlongevity of the high-voltage power supply, the radiation generator,and/or the downhole tool.

SUMMARY

A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. Itshould be understood that these aspects are presented merely to providethe reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and thatthese aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may notbe set forth below.

An electrically operated downhole tool, such as a nuclear radiationgenerator, may generate radiation (e.g., x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons,etc.) using electrical power to facilitate determining characteristicsof its surrounding environment. To achieve the high energy radiation, ahigh-voltage power supply such as a voltage multiplier (e.g., aCockcroft-Walton high-voltage ladder or other suitable voltagemultiplier) may be implemented. However, in the confines of a downholetool, the electrical components, operably held at high potential (e.g.,greater than 100 kilovolts (kV)), may generate high electric fieldsbetween the electrical components and relative ground. To combat theelectric fields and reduce or eliminate electrical events such asarcing, tracking, field emission, and/or corona effects, electricalprotection and shielding may be implemented around the high-voltagecomponents of the downhole tool.

In one embodiment, a downhole tool may include a voltage multiplierwithin a housing. The voltage multiplier may transform input power tothe downhole tool from a first voltage to a second voltage higher thanthe first. The downhole tool may also include multiple shielding ringssurrounding at least the voltage multiplier to reduce electric fieldstresses within the downhole tool. Additionally, the downhole tool mayinclude an insulator located between the shielding rings and thehousing.

In another embodiment, a method may include surrounding, at leastpartially, a high-voltage power supply of a downhole tool with multipleshielding rings of an annular shape to reduce electric field stresseswithin the diameter of the shielding rings. The method may also includeelectrically coupling spark gap electrodes to at least two of theshielding rings. The spark gap electrodes may propagate an electric arcto ground. The method may also include wrapping the shielding rings withan insulator and sealing an insulating gas within the housing of thedownhole tool.

In another embodiment, a downhole tool system may include a nuclearradiation generator to emit nuclear radiation and a high-voltage powersupply to transform an input power from a first voltage to a secondvoltage and supply the second voltage to the nuclear radiationgenerator. The downhole tool system may also include a first set ofco-axial shielding rings electrically connected to multiplier stages ofthe high-voltage power supply and a second set of co-axial shieldingrings electrically connected to generator stages of the nuclearradiation generator. The generator stages may create electric fieldswithin the nuclear radiation generator to accelerate a charged particleinto to target to generate the nuclear radiation. The downhole toolsystem may also include spark gaps between adjacent pairs of the firstset of shielding rings to propagate an electric arc in response to avoltage differential greater than a threshold between at least oneadjacent pairs of shielding rings. The downhole tool system may alsoinclude a plastic insulator surrounding the first set of co-axialshielding rings, the second set of shielding rings, or both.

Various refinements of the features noted above may be undertaken inrelation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further featuresmay also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. Theserefinements and additional features may exist individually or in anycombination. For instance, various features discussed below in relationto one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated intoany of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure alone or inany combination. The brief summary presented above is intended tofamiliarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodimentsof the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subjectmatter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon readingthe following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an example of a downhole tool system, in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an example downhole tool forgenerating nuclear radiation including an electrical insulator, inaccordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example downhole tool forgenerating nuclear radiation including shielding rings and an insulator,in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a plot of an electrical field without the use of shieldingrings, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4B is a plot of an electrical field with the use of shieldingrings, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an example downhole tool forgenerating nuclear radiation including shielding rings, an insulator,and spark gaps, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a plot of an electric field without potting material, inaccordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a plot of an electric field with potting material, inaccordance with an embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for implementing electrical shielding within adownhole tool, in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed below. These described embodiments are examples of thepresently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide aconcise description of these embodiments, the features of an actualimplementation may not be described in the specification. It should beappreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation,as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions may be made to achieve the developers'specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would be a routineundertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean thatthere are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements.Additionally, it should be understood that references to “oneembodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are notintended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalembodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

The oil and gas industry includes a number of sub-industries, such asexploration, drilling, logging, extraction, transportation, refinement,retail, and so forth. During exploration and drilling, wellbores may bedrilled into the ground for reasons that may include discovery,observation, or extraction of resources. These resources may includeoil, gas, water, or any other combination of elements within the ground.

Wellbores, sometimes called boreholes, may be straight or curved holesdrilled into the ground from which resources may be discovered,observed, or extracted. During and/or after the formation of a wellbore,well logging may be practiced. Well logging may include making adetailed record of the geological formations penetrated by a wellbore,and is generally part of the discovery and observation of resources.

The exploration of what lies beneath the ground may be accomplished by anumber of methods including surface and downhole techniques. Thediscovery and observation of resources using downhole techniquesgenerally takes place down in the wellbore with downhole tools. Thesedownhole tools may be a part of a tool-string that may be attached to adrill or other downhole device.

One particular type of downhole may include an electrically operatedradiation generator for generating nuclear radiation (e.g., neutrons,gamma rays, x-rays, etc.) to facilitate determining characteristics(e.g., porosity and/or mineralogy) of the formation. As used herein,nuclear radiation shall include radiation of nuclear particles and/orphotonic particles. Depending on the desired characteristics to bedetermined, various types of electrically operated radiation generatorsmay be used, such as x-ray generators, gamma ray generators, or neutrongenerators. For example, in a downhole tool, a radiation generator mayfacilitate determining the porosity of surrounding formations, based atleast in part on counts (e.g., number of neutrons or gamma-rays) ofradiation, and/or determining the mineralogy of surrounding formations,based at least in part on a spectrum of radiation measured by a detector(e.g., scintillator).

Nevertheless, the different types of electrically operated radiationgenerators may use high-voltage power supplies to facilitate thegeneration of the nuclear radiation. For example, high-voltages may beused to produce electric fields to accelerate a particle (e.g., ion orelectron) toward a target. When the particle strikes atoms of thetarget, radiation may be generated and output from the downhole tool.The radiation may then interact with atoms in the surroundingenvironment (e.g., the formation) and a response detected.

The high-voltage power supply may include, for example aCockcroft-Walton high-voltage ladder or other suitable multiplier ladderto generate such high-voltages (e.g., greater than 50 kilovolts (kV),greater than 100 kV, or greater than 400 kV). However, in the confinesof a downhole tool, high electric field stresses may occur between theelectrical components and relative ground. Furthermore, small (e.g.,less than 8 inches in diameter, less than 5 inches in diameter, or lessthan 3 inches in diameter) downhole tools may be more susceptible toadverse electrical effects due to the close proximity of the electricalcomponents and/or their proximity to relative ground. As such, shieldingrings and/or an insulating material may be implemented around theelectrical components of the high-voltage power supply and/or theradiation generator to reduce or eliminate arcing, tracking, fieldemission, and/or corona effects within the downhole tool.

The shielding rings may help reduce the electric field stresses aroundthe electrical components of the downhole tool by, for example,minimizing changes to the electric field within the circumference of theshielding rings. In some embodiments, spark gaps may also be implementedbetween adjacent shielding rings to direct electrical discharges awayfrom the electrical components of the downhole tool. Additionally oralternatively, in some embodiments, the shielding rings may be potted ina non-conductive or slightly conductive (e.g., having a conductivity ofgreater than 10¹⁶ Siemens per meter (S/m)) material to further reduceelectrical field stresses. Moreover, in some embodiments, an insulator(e.g., a plastic insulator) may be implemented surrounding the shieldingrings to further insulate the high-voltages from the relative ground,for example, of the housing of the downhole tool. As should beappreciated, the embodiments described herein, although illustrated inthe context of a downhole tool with a radiation generator, may beimplemented for electrical protection and shielding in any suitabledownhole tool employing high-voltage components.

With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 1 illustrates a well-logging system 10that may employ the systems and methods of this disclosure. Thewell-logging system 10 may be used to convey a downhole tool 12 througha geological formation 14 via a wellbore 16. In the example of FIG. 1,the downhole tool 12 is conveyed on a cable 18 via a logging winchsystem (e.g., vehicle) 20. Although the logging winch system 20 isschematically shown in FIG. 1 as a mobile logging winch system carriedby a truck, the logging winch system 20 may be substantially fixed(e.g., a long-term installation that is substantially permanent ormodular). Any suitable cable 18 for well logging may be used. The cable18 may be spooled and unspooled on a drum 22 and an auxiliary powersource 24 may provide energy to the logging winch system 20 and/or thedownhole tool 12.

Moreover, while the downhole tool 12 is described as a wireline downholetool, it should be appreciated that any suitable conveyance may be used.For example, the downhole tool 12 may instead be conveyed as alogging-while-drilling (LWD) tool as part of a bottom-hole assembly(BHA) of a drill string, conveyed on a slickline or via coiled tubing,and so forth. For the purposes of this disclosure, the downhole tool 12may be any suitable downhole tool 12 using a high-voltage power supply,for example, to generate nuclear radiation within the wellbore 16 (e.g.,downhole environment). As discussed further below, the downhole tool 12may receive energy, for example, from the auxiliary power source 24 orother store/source of sufficient electrical energy and transform thevoltage for use in producing nuclear radiation. Further, the suppliedenergy may be transformed to higher voltages within the wellbore 16, forexample, via a high-voltage power supply within or proximate thedownhole tool 12.

Control signals 26 may be transmitted from a data processing system 28to the downhole tool 12, and data signals 26 related to the response ofthe formation 14 may be returned to the data processing system 28 fromthe downhole tool 12. The data processing system 28 may be anyelectronic data processing system 28 that can be used to carry out thesystems and methods of this disclosure. For example, the data processingsystem 28 may include a processor 30, which may execute instructionsstored in memory 32 and/or storage 34. As such, the memory 32 and/or thestorage 34 of the data processing system 28 may be any suitable articleof manufacture that can store the instructions. The memory 32 and/or thestorage 34 may be read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM),flash memory, an optical storage medium, or a hard disk drive, to name afew examples. A display 36, which may be any suitable electronicdisplay, may display images generated by the processor 30. The dataprocessing system 28 may be a local component of the logging winchsystem 20 (e.g., within the downhole tool 12), a remote device thatanalyzes data from other logging winch systems 20, a device locatedproximate to the drilling operation, or any combination thereof. In someembodiments, the data processing system 28 may be a mobile computingdevice (e.g., tablet, smart phone, or laptop) or a server remote fromthe logging winch system 20.

As discussed above, the downhole tool 12 may include a high-voltagepower supply 38 and a radiation generator 40 contained within a housing42, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Although shown within the same housing 42,in some embodiments, the radiation generator 40 and high-voltage powersupply 38 may be implemented in separate housings 42. The high-voltagepower supply 38 may include, for example, an input transformer 44 and avoltage multiplier 46. In some embodiments, the voltage multiplier 46may include diodes 48 and/or capacitors 50 arranged in a unipolar orbipolar ladder to generate a high voltage (e.g., greater than 50 kV,greater than 100 kV, or greater than 400 kV) to be output, for example,to the radiation generator 40. The voltage multiplier 46 may include,for example, a Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier ladder, a derivationthereof, or any suitable electrical circuitry for generatinghigh-voltage within the confines of the downhole tool 12. In someembodiments, a surge resistor 52 may be used between the high-voltagepower supply 38 and the radiation generator 40 to reduce or eliminatethe effects of power surges, for example, due to arcing.

The radiation generator 40 may use the high-voltage power generated bythe high-voltage power supply 38 to generate neutrons, gamma rays,x-rays, or other nuclear radiation. In some embodiments, biasingresistors 54 may step the generated high-voltage down over the length ofthe radiation generator 40 to create a graduated electric field in whichcharged particles (e.g., electrons, ions, etc.) are accelerated. In oneembodiment, the radiation generator 40 may accelerate particles into atarget to generate the nuclear radiation. To create the potentialdifference, and thus electric fields in the radiation generator 40, areference voltage (e.g., relative ground) may be introduced, forexample, via the housing 42. Maintaining the housing 42 at relativeground may also reduce electrical interference and/or discharge throughthe housing 42 to the environment. However, due to the high-voltagecomponents (e.g., diodes 48, capacitors 50, resistors (e.g., the surgeresistor 52, the biasing resistors 54, or other resistors), and/or thewires, solder joints, and leads thereto) used in such close proximity(e.g., less than three inches) to each other and the housing 42 atrelative ground, the electric field stresses may cause electrical events56 (e.g., arcing, insulation breakdown, surface tracking, corona events,field emission, etc.).

In some embodiments, an insulating gas 58 (e.g., air, sulfurhexafluoride (SF6), etc.) or vacuum, may be hermetically sealed withinthe downhole tool 12 to assist in the prevention of the electricalevents 56. Additionally or alternatively, an insulator 60 of highdielectric strength (e.g., perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), fluorinated ethylenepropylene (FEP), and/or plastic, Kapton, or Teflon materials) may beused along the inner edge of the housing 42. In some embodiments, theinsulator 60 may extend at least from the beginning 62 of the voltagemultiplier 46 to an end 64 of the voltage multiplier 46. Moreover, theinsulator 60 may also extend to an end 66 of the radiation generator 40.The insulator 60 may be affixed to the housing 42 of the downhole tool12 and/or affixed to the internal components (e.g., high-voltage powersupply 38, radiation generator 40, other electrical shielding, etc.) ofthe downhole tool 12. In some embodiments, the insulator 60 may beimplemented as a film wound around shielding rings 68 surrounding theinternal components, as shown in FIG. 3.

Shielding rings 68 may be implemented in a co-axial arrangement aroundthe voltage multiplier 46 and/or the radiation generator 40 to reducethe electric field stresses proximate the electrical components of thedownhole tool 12. In one embodiment, the shielding rings 68 may begenerally conductive and made of any suitable metallic material or otherconductor. Further, in one embodiment, the shielding rings 68 may bemade of a semiconductor plastic. Multiplier stages 70 of the voltagemultiplier 46 and/or generator stages 72 of the radiation generator 40may be electrically connected to individual shielding rings 68. As such,adjacent shielding rings 68 may be held at different potentials. Byelectrically connecting the individual shielding rings 68 to theelectrical components radially adjacent to them, the shielding rings 68may be held at the same or approximate (e.g., within 20 kV or within 40kV) potential as the adjacent electrical components. By maintaining theshielding rings 68 at approximately the same potential as the electricalcomponents within the circumference of the shielding rings 68, theelectric fields and corresponding electric field stresses within theshielding rings 68 may be reduced. Moreover, the reduced electric fieldsmay result in reduced electrical events 56.

In some embodiments, magnetic coupling from within the circumference ofthe shielding rings 68 to outside the shielding rings 68 may be desired.For example, an isolation transformer may be implemented as part of theelectrical circuitry of the downhole tool 12 or the input transformer 44may be partially enclosed within the shielding rings 68. As such, in oneembodiment, the shielding rings 68 may form a partial ring, for examplehaving an arc angle greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees,to increase magnetic coupling from within the shielding rings 68 tooutside the shielding rings 68 while still minimizing the electric fieldstresses within the shielding rings 68.

To help illustrate the effect of the shielding rings 68, FIGS. 4A and 4Bare plots 74, 76 of the electric field 78 around a sharp point 80without and with the use of shielding rings 68, respectively. The sharppoint 80 may represent, for illustrative purposes, a component of thedownhole tool 12 at high voltage such as a wire end, a corner of theradiation generator 40, or a solder joint. In general, sharp points 80induce increased electric field stresses over smooth surfaces and may beused to illustrate effects on electric fields 78. As such, electricalevents 56 may be more likely at sharp points 80 and/or edges. For thepurpose of illustration, the sharp point 80 in the plot 74 of FIG. 4A isheld at 400 kV and induces a large electric field 78 (e.g., greater than100 megavolts per meter (MV/m)). When the shielding rings 68 areimplemented, as depicted in the plot 76 of FIG. 4B, the electric field78 around the sharp point 80 is reduced. The reduction in the electricfield 78 within the shielding rings 68 may assist in protecting theelectrical components from electrical events 56 such as corona eventsand/or surface tracking, which may, in turn, increase the efficiencyand/or longevity of the downhole tool 12. As will be appreciated, theplots 74, 76 are given for illustration purposes, and other electricfields 78 and/or voltages may occur depending on implementation.

In one embodiment, the shielding rings 68 may be implemented around thevoltage multiplier 46 and the radiation generator 40. By reducing theelectric field around the radiation generator 40, electrical events 56,as discussed above, may be reduced on the radiation generator 40.Additionally, the intentional electric fields of the radiation generator40, for example, for accelerating charged particles, may be shieldedfrom interference. As such variability in radiation generation betweenseparate downhole tools 12 may be reduced.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an example downhole tool 12implementing the shielding rings 68, the insulator 60, an insulating gas58, and one or more spark gaps 82 between adjacent shielding rings 68.The spark gaps 82 may assist in protecting the electrical components ofthe downhole tool 12 in case of an electrical event 56 (e.g., arcing)occurrence. To prevent arcing within the electrical components, thespark gaps 82 may become a short to relative ground (e.g., the housing42) when the voltage difference exceeds a given threshold. For example,if the voltage difference exceeded the threshold, for instance betweentwo shielding rings 68, the arc may propagate to relative ground via aseries of electrodes, between which spark gaps 82 are formed, instead ofshorting through the electrical components. In combination, theshielding rings 68 and the spark gaps 82 assist in protecting thehigh-voltage components from corona events, arcing, and/or currentleakage, while also increasing the reliability and/or longevity of thedownhole tool 12, while also allowing for a small form factor.

In some embodiments, the shielding rings 68 may be potted (e.g.,surrounded and/or encased) in a non-conductive or slightly conductivematerial to further reduce electrical field stresses as depicted in FIG.6B. For example, the potting material 84 may have a conductivity greaterthan 10⁻¹⁶ S/m and/or a conductivity less than 10'S/m, less than 10⁻⁸S/m, or less than 10⁻¹³ S/m. Furthermore, in some embodiments, thepotting material 84 may be more conductive than the insulator 60 and/orthe shielding rings 68. Moreover, the potting material 84 may have aconductivity between that of the insulator 60 and the shielding rings68. In one embodiment, a potting material 84 such as boron nitride witha silicon elastomer (e.g., Sylgard) may be implemented on the surface ofthe shielding rings 68, between adjacent shielding rings 68, and/orbetween the shielding rings 68 and the insulator 60. As such, thepotting material 84 may form a cylindrical tube on the outer edge of theshielding rings 68 and, in some embodiments, encasing the shieldingrings 68. To help illustrate the effect of the potting material 84,FIGS. 6A and 6B are plots 86, 88 of the shielding rings 68 and insulator60 without and with the potting material 84, respectively. Asillustrated in the plot 88 of FIG. 6B, the electric field 78 aroundshielding rings 68 potted with the potting material 84 is reducedcompared to the plot 86 of FIG. 6A without the potting material 84. Thereduction in electric field stresses on the exterior of the shieldingrings 68 may further reduce the likelihood of electrical events 56 suchas arcing. As will be appreciated, the plots 86, 88 are given forillustration purposes, and other electric fields 78 may occur dependingon implementation.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart 90 of an example process for implementing theelectrical protection and shielding discussed above within a downholetool 12. In one embodiment, shielding rings 68 may be placed around ahigh-voltage power supply 38, or a portion thereof (e.g., the voltagemultiplier 46), and/or a radiation generator 40 (process block 92). Theindividual shielding rings 68 may also be electrically connected tomultiplier stages 70, of the voltage multiplier 46, and/or generatorstages 72, of the radiation generator 40 (process block 94). Spark gaps82 may be implemented between the shielding rings 68 (process block 96).The shielding rings 68 may also be encapsulated, at least partially, ina potting material 84 (process block 98). The shielding rings 68,implemented with or without the potting, may be wrapped in an insulator60 (process block 100), for example, via multiple layers of insulatingfilm. Further, the components of the downhole tool 12 may be sealed in ahousing 42 (process block 102). Additionally, the area proximate theelectrical components may be pressurized with an insulating gas 58(process block 104). Although the above referenced flowchart 90 is shownin a given order, in certain embodiments, the depicted steps may bereordered, altered, deleted, and/or occur simultaneously. Additionally,the referenced flowchart 90 is given as an illustrative tool, andfurther decision and/or process blocks may be added depending onimplementation.

The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way ofexample, and it should be understood that these embodiments may besusceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should befurther understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to theparticular forms disclosed, but rather to cover modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope ofthis disclosure.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A downhole tool comprising: a housing; avoltage multiplier within the housing and configured to transform inputpower to the downhole tool from a first voltage to a second voltage,wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage; aplurality of shielding rings surrounding at least the voltage multiplierand configured to reduce electric field stresses within the downholetool; and an insulator located between the plurality of shielding ringsand the housing.
 2. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the voltagemultiplier comprises a plurality of multiplier stages, wherein each ofthe plurality of shielding rings are electrically coupled to a singlemultiplier stage of the plurality of multiplier stages.
 3. The downholetool of claim 1, wherein the plurality of shielding rings comprises ametallic conductive material.
 4. The downhole tool of claim 1, whereinthe plurality of shielding rings comprises a semiconductor material. 5.The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the insulator comprisesperfluoroalkoxy (PFA) film wrapped around an exterior circumference ofthe plurality of shielding rings.
 6. The downhole tool of claim 1,wherein the housing is maintained at a relative ground potential.
 7. Thedownhole tool of claim 1, wherein the housing is sealed, and wherein aninterior of the housing comprises compressed sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)gas proximate the voltage multiplier.
 8. The downhole tool of claim 1,wherein the plurality of shielding rings comprises at least one partialring comprising an arc angle greater than 180 degrees and less than 360degrees, wherein the at least one partial ring facilitates magneticcoupling from within the at least one partial ring to outside the atleast one partial ring.
 9. The downhole tool of claim 1, comprisingspark gaps between at least two shielding rings of the plurality ofshielding rings.
 10. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the shieldingrings are potted in a potting material, wherein the potting materialcomprises boron nitride.
 11. The downhole tool of claim 1, comprising aradiation generator configured to emit nuclear radiation, wherein theplurality of shielding rings surround at least the radiation generator.12. The downhole tool of claim 11, wherein the radiation generatorcomprises a plurality of generator stages, wherein each of the pluralityof shielding rings are electrically coupled to a single generator stageof the plurality of generator stages.
 13. A method comprising:surrounding, at least partially, a high-voltage power supply of adownhole tool with a plurality of shielding rings, wherein the pluralityof shielding rings comprise an annular shape, wherein the plurality ofshielding rings are configured to reduce electric field stresses withina diameter of the plurality of shielding rings; electrically coupling aspark gap electrodes to at least two of the plurality of shieldingrings, wherein the spark gap electrodes are configured to propagate anelectric arc to ground; wrapping the plurality of shielding rings withan insulator; and sealing an insulating gas within a housing of thedownhole tool.
 14. The method of claim 13, comprising electricallycoupling each of the plurality of shielding rings surrounding thehigh-voltage power supply to different electrical components of thehigh-voltage power supply at different potentials.
 15. The method ofclaim 13, comprising potting the plurality of shielding rings in amaterial comprising a first conductivity, wherein the first conductivityis greater than a second conductivity of the insulator.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein wrapping the plurality of shielding rings with theinsulator comprises wrapping the potted plurality of shielding rings ina plurality of layers of plastic film.
 17. The method of claim 13,comprising: surrounding, at least partially, a nuclear radiationgenerator of the downhole tool with the plurality of shielding rings;and electrically coupling each of the plurality of shielding ringssurrounding the nuclear radiation generator to stages of the nuclearradiation generator held at different potentials, wherein the pluralityof shielding rings are configured to reduce electric field interferenceto the nuclear radiation generator within the diameter of the pluralityof shielding rings surrounding the nuclear radiation generator.
 18. Adownhole tool system comprising: a nuclear radiation generatorconfigured to emit nuclear radiation; a high-voltage power supplyconfigured transform an input power from a first voltage to a secondvoltage and supply the second voltage to the nuclear radiationgenerator; a first plurality of co-axial shielding rings electricallycoupled to multiplier stages of the high-voltage power supply; a secondplurality of co-axial shielding rings electrically coupled to generatorstages of the nuclear radiation generator, wherein the generator stagesare configured to create electric fields within the nuclear radiationgenerator to accelerate a charged particle into to target to generatethe nuclear radiation; a plurality of spark gaps between adjacent pairsof shielding rings of the first plurality of co-axial shielding rings,wherein the spark gaps are configured to propagate an electric arc inresponse to a voltage differential greater than a threshold between atleast one pair of the adjacent pairs of shielding rings; and a plasticinsulator surrounding the first plurality of co-axial shielding rings,the second plurality of co-axial shielding rings, or both.
 19. Thedownhole tool system of claim 18, comprising a potting material locatedradially between the plastic insulator and the first plurality ofco-axial shielding rings.
 20. The downhole tool system of claim 19,wherein the potting material comprises a cylindrical tube of boronnitride with a silicon elastomer encasing the first plurality ofco-axial shielding rings.